Ackee vs Shynet
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Ackee
Self-hosted, privacy-focused analytics tool
VS
Shynet
Modern, privacy-friendly, detailed web analytics
| Feature | Ackee | Shynet |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,709 | ★ 3,155 |
| First released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are Ackee and Shynet?
Ackee
Ackee is a self-hosted, Node-based analytics tool that tracks website visitors while respecting privacy and avoiding cookies. It targets developers wanting minimal, ethical analytics. It is deployed via Docker.
- Privacy-focused tracking
- GraphQL API
- Clean minimal dashboard
- No cookies used
Shynet
Shynet is a modern, privacy-friendly, and detailed web analytics platform that works without cookies and even without JavaScript. It targets users wanting solid analytics with strong privacy. It is deployed via Docker.
- Works without JavaScript or cookies
- Detailed session insights
- Multiple sites and users
- Privacy-respecting
Ackee vs Shynet: key differences
Ackee is written in JavaScript, while Shynet is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Ackee versus Apache-2.0 for Shynet. Ackee is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Shynet. Ackee is the more established project (first released 2018), while Shynet arrived in 2020.
Why pick each one
Choose Ackee if…
- Lightweight and private
- Easy to deploy
- Nice minimal UI
Watch out for
- Limited reporting depth
- Needs MongoDB
Choose Shynet if…
- Strong privacy
- Works without JS
- Detailed sessions
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer integrations
Frequently asked questions
Is Ackee or Shynet better?
Neither is universally better. Ackee has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Ackee and Shynet free and open-source?
Yes. Ackee is licensed under MIT and Shynet under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ackee and Shynet with Docker?
Ackee: yes. Shynet: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Ackee or Shynet?
Ackee has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Shynet. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.